I Killed The Main Characters

Noah Ashbourne.

His eyes, calm and focused, lifted from the page.

"I've been listening."

Scarlett smiled.

"And what do you think?"

Noah set the book down, gently placing a piece of paper between the pages as a marker.

"I think you're right," he said in a quiet voice.

"It would be careless not to follow up on the readings. Too many variables."

Professor Juno relaxed slightly.

Professor Elaine gave a small sigh.

But Noah continued, folding his gloved hands together.

"However," he said, "I won't be joining the patrol."

Scarlett blinked.

"Oh?"

Noah nodded once.

"I trust the class I'm overseeing. If they fail or succeed, it will be by their hands alone. That's part of the lesson. Besides..." he looked out the window for a moment, "...I've given them everything they need. Including faith."

The other instructors shared a look.

No one argued.

They were used to him by now—his way of speaking, his quiet distance, and most of all, his curse.

Even now, the aura around him made the room just a little colder.

It wasn't dangerous—not yet—but it was present, always.

Some said it was tied to a contract he signed long ago.

Others whispered it was from something worse. Either way, no one dared to push him.

Sharon uncrossed her arms and stepped away from the window.

"I still think it's unnecessary," she said, but the edge in her voice was gone.

"But fine. A quick sweep, then we're out."

Scarlett smiled, her red lips curling.

"Good. I'll take Sector A. Juno, Sector C. Elaine, you're on support duty."

One by one, the instructors began standing.

Birds were quiet now.

The real sounds of the forest were waking up.

Noah didn't move. He simply picked his book back up and took a slow sip of tea.

"Let me know if anything gets too loud," he said calmly.

Scarlett glanced at him once more as she passed, her eyes narrowing playfully.

"Don't get too comfortable, Ashbourne. One of these days, you'll have to come down from that chair."

Noah looked up, the faintest smile at the corner of his lips.

"Maybe," he replied.

"If the forest calls loud enough."

And just like that, they left one by one, the door swinging shut behind them, leaving only Noah, the scent of tea, and the steady turning of pages in the quiet.

***

The light from Noah's desk lamp cast a soft glow across the pages as he reached the end of the section on the Northern Continent.

He blinked slowly, closing the book with a gentle thud.

He stared at the desk for a moment, the warm steam from his tea now gone cold, forgotten.

Then finally, he stood.

His body moved slowly but with intention.

He adjusted his black gloves, brushing a bit of dust from his sleeve.

His hair, once raven black, now faded into silver-white streaks, shifted slightly over his brow as he looked out the window.

His voice was barely above a whisper.

"Still a lead... if they're out there, they'd be there. The second transmigrator. I doubt they'd sit still for this long."

He turned away from the window and picked up the closed book, placing it neatly back into his travel case beside his desk.

His fingers lingered on the edges of the case before letting go.

"I didn't want to go with the others," he muttered to himself, walking toward the door.

"It's such a hassle. And besides... what would I have done out there? Picked on kids just to earn more [False Evil Points]?"

He scoffed faintly at the thought, a dry smile forming on his lips.

"No. That'd just be petty. If I'm going to collect those points, it's not going to be like that.

Not from pushing students around just to score a few more lines in red text."

He stepped out of the instructor quarters.

Two stationed guards at the entrance immediately straightened and gave a low bow.

"Sir Ashbourne."

Noah said nothing at first.

His presence alone froze the air slightly.

His steps were soundless on the stone pathway, eyes cold and unreadable. One of the guards nervously glanced at the other, then back at Noah.

"If you wish, we can escort—"

"No," Noah cut in, his voice sharp but quiet.

Both guards lowered their gazes at once, as if struck.

"Understood."

Noah passed them by like a ghost.

The sky above had turned yellow orange.

He walked slowly, hands behind his back, his black coat trailing behind.

The trees beyond the barrier glowed faintly from magical seals, but he wasn't heading into the forest. Not yet.

He walked only to clear his mind. He wanted to think, and more than that, he wanted to try something new.

A theory he'd been developing—imbuing elemental traits into his ice magic.

"If I can weave lightning into the freeze... or shadow through the cracks..." he thought.

"The result won't just be sharper—it'll be devastating. Annihilation, not just containment."

But before he could go further with the idea—

[WARNING: DEATH VARIABLE DETECTED]

[ESCAPE DEATH VARIABLE!]

The system window suddenly flared into his vision in bright red.

Noah froze.

His pupils narrowed.

"What...?"

He didn't get time to react.

From ten paces ahead of him, reality began to warp.

The air twisted like liquid.

The space itself spiraled in, collapsing inward like a drain into nothing.

Black energy curled from the singularity like smoke caught in a storm, pulling at the edges of light and air.

A screech of high-pitched, unnatural pressure rang through the trees.

Then—BOOM.

The center point exploded outwards. The wind screamed as pressure slammed across the forest clearing.

Noah raised an arm over his eyes.

The sleeve of his coat whipped in the wind, his hair blown back by the sheer force of it.

"Don't tell me…" he muttered through gritted teeth.

"Already…?"

He knew this magic.

Its signature was burned into his memory.

It didn't belong to a monster.

It wasn't a spell from the academy either.

The black vortex of energy slowly faded into thick mist, and from the still-smoking shadows, two figures stepped forward.

First came the woman, tall and composed.

She wore a sharp maid outfit—traditional but masterfully tailored. Her short dark green hair fluttered slightly, her dry green eyes glowing faintly in the dark. Her beauty was unreal, not just in form but in the atmosphere she carried. Power. Grace. Danger.

She smiled and placed a hand on each cheek, tilting her head as though seeing a lover after years.

Behind her, the man was taller, older—white hair, lined face, but with a body clearly built and maintained by strict discipline. His black butler outfit was pristine. Every step he took was precise, as if following a rhythm only he knew.

Noah's eyes widened.

His breathing slowed.

"No way... Conrad Asworth and Elira..."

His hands tightened on instinct.

"One of the Black Vassals of the Ashbourne Household…"

Conrad adjusted his white gloves calmly and bowed with perfect form.

"We greet the Young Lord," he said with a voice like steel wrapped in velvet.

Evelyn lowered her head, but her eyes never left Noah.

She licked her bottom lip with deliberate slowness.

"My... it's been so long," she said with a gentle purr.

"You've grown even more beautiful, Young Lord...I can feel it from here."

"Love what you've done with the hair."

Noah didn't reply immediately.

His body remained still. But internally, he was already running calculations.

Why now?